Gas-purifier.



'PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904. J; B. HARRIS. 'GAS PURIPIER. APPLIOATION FILEDSEPT. 18, 1903.

no MODEL.

WITNESSES:

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UNITED STATES Patented October 1 1, 1904:.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BAXTER HARRIS, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO W. P. ELLSWORTH ANDMADISON BELL.

GAS-PURIFIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,037, dated October11 ,1904.

Application filed September 18, 1903. Serial No. 173,642. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BAXTER HARRIS, of Atlanta, in the county ofFulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Gas-Purifiers; and I hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanyingdrawings, Which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improved device for removing water from traps ordepressions in gas-mains, and is designed to automatically drain thesetraps or depressions of water without permitting loss or waste of gas inso doing.

It is known that illuminating-gas frequently contains a considerablepercentage of moisture, which is chilled and deposited on the walls ofthe gas mains and pipes and gradually collects therein at the lowestpoints of the system or in the bends of the mains where they pass overuneven country. The water frequently collects in these depressions orbends in such quantities that the flow of gas is retarded and sometimesWholly stopped thereby. Water pockets or traps have been placed inthemains at the bends, and such traps have been emptied periodically orwhenever the accumulation of Water noticeably retarded the flow of gasby manual pumping or by draw-off pipes, the clearance of the pocketsbeing ascertained when gas follows the water at the outlet. These knownapparatus therefore are wasteful of gas, uncertain in operation, andcause frequent annoyances by becoming choked before the retardation ofgas is noted. v

The object of the present invention is to provide an automaticself-draining water-separator and gas-seal combined whereby the waterwill automatically escape without loss of gas, the latter being retainedby a constantly-maintained water seal.

The invention therefore consists in the simple novel apparatushereinafter claimed and described in detail, with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective plan of theapparatus as attached to a gas-main, and Fig. 2 is a vertical centralsection through the apparatus detached.

Referring to said drawings by letters of reference marked thereon, Adesignates a can or tank within which is a cylinder B of lesserdiameter, said cylinder resting upon and preferably water-tightlysecured to the bottom of the tank. Cylinder B is of less height than thetank, and the annular channel between the cylinder and wall of tankforms a trap for water, &c. To the tank A, slightly below the level ofthe upper end of cylinder B, is at- 'tached a drain-pipe H, throughwhich surplus water escapes.

Telescoping within the cylinder B, but of less diameter than the latter,is a bell or cylinder C, open at bottom but closed at top. Saidbellprojects considerably above the tank, but is supported thereon by anannular flange or .head D, surrounding the bell and fitted closely tothe top of tank A, as shown, so as to close the space between the belland tank, but leaving a free passage between the top of cylinder B andthe annulus. This annulus centers the bell in the cylinder B, and thebell may be provided on its lower end with lateral lugs cto assist inmaintaining the bell in central position. It will be noted that the bellis supported within the cylinder so as not to contact with the bottomthereof, leaving a end of bell and up into the annular channel K,between the bell, and cylinder. The upper portion of the bell C isconnected by one or more drain-pipes F G with the' gas-main I, theseparator or trap being located below the bend or dip in the main, sothat water of condensation will pass through pipe F or G into thebell.As shown, both pipes F and G connect with the same gas-main; butobviously they could be connected to two mains if the dips of the latterwere adjacent, and, in fact, any number of gas mains or pipes may beconnected to a single separator, provided that the corking capacity ofthe latter is not exceeded.

In practice the separator is located beneath or below the level of thetrap or bend in the gas main or pipe which it is desired to drain.

The cylinder B should be filled with water before the bell G is put inposition, so that the mouth of the bell will be sealed by a water sealin the channel K. The drain-pipe H must lead to a point of dischargebelow its connection with the tank-as to an adjacent sewer, forinstance. This water seal is sulficient to prevent the gas blowing outthrough the separator and keeps the gas within chamber J in the upperpart of bell C, while water which enters the bell passes down and as itaccumulates therein overflows through channel K into the channel a andeventually finds its way out through pipe H. The gas entering with thewater and escaping therefrom in the bell can pass back into the main Ithrough pipe F or G.

It is not necessary that the annulus D be permanently attached to thetank, as the weight of the bell and its connections when the apparatusis properly located will maintain a sufficiently close joint, (no gaspassing over the cylinder 13,) and even under unusual pressures the bellwill be held down, and the depth of the column of water in channel K issuifieient to seal the separator against escape of gas even though thepressure forces the water-level down in the bell. The separators,however, should be so proportioned as to size and depth of channel Kthat the water seal cannot be blown out by any pressure permissible inthe gas-mains.

It will be observed that the apparatus is not used as a part of thegas-main-7. a, the gas is not passed therethrough, but the water ofcondensation is drained thereinto and such small amount of gas as mightpass into the bell is returned to the main. The separators are small andcompact. For an ordinary-sized gas-main they need not be over a foothigh, and consequently they can be readily placed beneath the dips onthe mains. It is intended in practice to place such a separator or trapat every point in the system of gas mains or pipes where water collectsin annoying quan' tities, and it will be obvious that the separator willautomatically discharge surplus water without permitting escape of gasat any time, and the separator in no way obstructs or retards the flowof gas.

The cylinder B affords a protection to the water seal in that should'theouter wall of the tank be punctured below the water-line the seal wouldbe maintained or should the water in the space a freeze the effectiveworking of the apparatus would not be stopped. As the apparatus isdesigned to be buried, there is liability of the walls of the tank beingdented or punctured and of ice forming on the walls thereof in severecold weather. Hence I prefer to use the cylinder B in my traps.

Having thus described my invention, what I therefore claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is-

1. A water trap or separator for gas-mains, comprising a tank, acylinder therein, a draine pipe connected with the tank, a bellsupported within the cylinder and extending above the tank, an annulusencircling .the bell below its upper end and supporting the bell andresting upon and closing the upper end of the tank, and a drain-pipeconnected to the upper part of the bell above the water-level in theseparator, said pipe being connected with a gasmain so that water canflow from the main into the bell by gravity, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described water trap or separator for gas-mains,comprising a tank, a cylinder therein, a drain-pipe connected with thetank below the top of the cylinder; a bell depending into the cylinderand extending above the tank, an annulus encircling the bell andsupporting the same, said annulus resting upon and closing the upper endof the tank, but above the cylinder, and a water-inlet pipe connectingthe upper part of the bell with a gas-main, said separator being locatedbelow a dip or trap in the gas-main so that water will flow thereinto bygravity to maintain a water seal between the bell and cylinder, allsubstantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JOHN BAXTER HARRIS.

In presencebf- J. CALEB CLARKE, O. R. STRAUs.

